


Venenum

by Scarlet_Sky



Category: EXO (Band), K-pop
Genre: Action, Action & Romance, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Gang World, Betrayal, Blackmail, F/M, Fluff, Gang AU, Gangs, Mafia AU, Mafia EXO (EXO), Romance, Suspense, Thriller, Top Byun Baekhyun, Trust, Violence, mafia baekhyun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 01:34:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29092110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scarlet_Sky/pseuds/Scarlet_Sky
Summary: Baekhyun x Reader | Mafia!AUDue to an unfortunate accident, you get entangled in the crimes of a local gang. From that moment on, you constantly have to fear for your life, being stalked wherever you go. The only ray of light left in your dark days is the handsome stranger who visits your coffee shop every morning. He easily steals your heart and you fall for him, unaware that he is a notorious criminal.However, when a dangerous gang leader learns of your connection to him, he forces you to make a fatal choice. You only have two options.How far will you go in order to survive?
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Original Female Character(s), Byun Baekhyun/Reader
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there!!   
> I'm finally posting what I've been working on for weeks! This idea has been bugging me ever since Baek's concert. (I was blown away by that btw >////<) The VCR was such a great inspiration for a fanfic that I couldn't resist actually writing one. This story will be based loosely on it; I will change certain things so it's not predictable.

They were following you. You saw their mirror image in the shop window you passed, felt their eyes burning holes into the back of your head. Hugging your shivering body, you ducked your head and stared at the wet asphalt. The artificial light of the streetlamps was reflected in the puddles covering the ground. Your heart palpitated in fear and you acted on instinct when you hastily turned into a small alley. It was darker here, the shadows of the night swallowing you up. The sound of your heavy breathing and your shoes hitting asphalt were the only things that could be heard in the eerie silence.

Fear had become a constant companion to you in the past week. There was nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Your stalkers were elusive like smoke. You often caught glimpses of them from the corner of your eye, but when you would look a second time, they would be gone. Ever since that fateful night one week ago, they had been on your tail, and you could do nothing but wait as their eyes laid on you constantly. You knew why they did it. They wanted to make sure you didn’t run to the police—that would be their cue to silence you. What you had witnessed that night had been disturbing, it haunted your sleep. You desperately wanted to get it off your chest, but that would cost your life. And you weren’t ready to die at the hands of criminals.

So you kept your mouth shut and went on with your daily life, pretending everything was fine. You didn’t know for how long you could keep up the façade with endless fear crushing you but you would do your best.

You hurried down the stairs leading into the subway station and caught the first train that arrived. Once inside, you allowed yourself to take a break, leaning your back against one of the seats. It was late evening, and usually, you would have been home already at this time, but your co-workers had insisted to meet in town to have dinner together. You worked at a coffee shop where you spent most of your days. It wasn’t a fancy job, but it brought you joy and that was what mattered most to you.

You had a few regulars you enjoyed talking to—and one of them you were particularly fond of. Thinking of him had your cheeks turn pink. Only three weeks ago, you had finally found out his name, and since then, you hadn’t stopped thinking of him. Even now, when you were afraid, the memory of him put a faint smile on your lips.

Baekhyun came by nearly every morning to buy a coffee before he headed to work. It had become a habit of his to talk to you for a bit, and that way, you had gotten closer. He was good at telling jokes, and a real charmer. Nonetheless, he was surrounded by a veil of secrecy. There were things he never told you—for example, where the bloody scrapes on his hands had come from, or why he suddenly had a split lip. He had told you he worked for a trading company, but you didn’t buy it. However, you had never pursued the matter, knowing that everybody had their secrets.

Just like you.

The secret you had been keeping for a week was a sinister one. It made your skin crawl with fear and abhorrence whenever the memories came back. You wanted to erase them and pretend you never saw anything, but you couldn’t. The images had been burned into your mind. They would haunt you for the rest of your life. You felt guilty for not going to the police, felt terrible for being unable to speak about it. Maybe that would have lightened the burden on your shoulders.

Through an unfortunate coincidence, you had become the sole witness to a murder committed by one of the local gangs. Their feuds with each other often ended in senseless bloodshed, and Jiwon’s gang was particularly ruthless. It was his people that now had their eyes on you.

Jiwon, at first, had wanted to kill you in order to silence you forever, but he had changed his mind at the last second. Apparently, you could still be useful to him, and so he chose to keep you around. Ever since then, his gang members had been following you wherever you went. They watched your every step.

You had no idea how in the world someone like you would ever be useful to him, but you would soon find out.

* * *

They were watching you.

A shudder ran down your spine. You kept your eyes on the register as you handed out the change to the customer who had just bought a coffee and a muffin. It was early Monday morning, and the coffee shop was busy as usual at this time. The stream of customers thankfully directed your attention away from your stalkers who watched through the windows, standing on the other side of the street.

You took another order, handed out another steaming cup of coffee to a tired-looking student, and turned to the next customer. Your co-worker Amber Liu was just as busy as you, standing at the counter next to you and taking care of incoming orders. She was a ray of sunshine and always smiled at everyone even when the customer was rude. It was a trait you admired since you didn’t have that kind of patience.

An hour passed and by the time the coffee shop became emptier, it was nine o’clock. Most people were at school or work now which meant you would have some time to breathe. Amber had gone back into the kitchen to take care of the dishes while you stayed at the counter. Your eyes drifted over the few people sitting at the tables nearby, some of them reading the newspaper or typing on their phones. Quiet music originated from the speakers in the corners of the ceiling. It could have been a perfectly normal and relaxed Monday morning if only your anxiety stopped tormenting you.

Finally, you were distracted by the ringing of the bell when someone else entered the shop. Looking up, you met the brown eyes of Baekhyun, and a smile bloomed on your lips. He wore a button-up shirt and black pants, his light blond hair styled as usual.

“Good morning, love,” he said flirtily as he stood in front of the counter.

“Morning. How are you, Baekhyun?” you asked, flustered by the nickname he liked to use. “You’re later than usual today. I hope you’re not in a hurry to get to work.”

He laughed and shook his head. “No, no. Something unexpected came up this morning and that’s why I’m late. But my colleagues will understand.”

“That’s a relief,” you smiled. “Do you want the usual?”

“Yes, please.”

You nodded and went to the coffee machine, starting it. As you waited for it to finish, you went back to him to talk some more. He’d become a ray of light in your dark life—someone you always looked forward to meeting every single day.

“You look tired,” he remarked. He put his palms on the counter and leaned closer, scrutinizing the shadows under your eyes. His brows furrowed, showing his concern.

“Ah, yeah,” you mumbled, fidgeting around. “I… I just… can’t sleep well lately. It’s nothing to worry about though. I’m sure it will pass.”

“If you say so,” he answered, not sounding very convinced. “Maybe you should rest after work.”

“Are you worried about me?” you joked.

“Of course I am,” he answered, sounding playful yet looking sincere. “Do you think I come here every day just for the coffee?” He winked, making clear what he meant.

You blushed, your heartbeat speeding up. The fact that he was openly flirting with you made you a little nervous, but not in a bad way. “You’re here for something else?” you asked, pretending to be clueless, though your blush gave your thoughts away.

“Someone, not something,” he corrected amusedly. “I like talking to you. It’s rare to find people like you nowadays… and I think it’s great that you’re into photography too.”

Your passion for photography was one that you shared. And it was the reason why you had begun to talk when he had first come into the coffee shop. He had carried around an old camera, a model that was quite popular even today, but hard to get your hands on. You had been unable to hold back your fascination and asked him so many questions that his coffee had turned cold in the meantime. You’d apologized and made him a new one, prompting him to stay longer just to talk.

That had been the start of your friendship. Over time, you had developed a strong crush on him, even though you barely knew anything about him. You mostly talked about your shared hobby or your work while he stayed reluctant to reveal things about himself. At first, you had assumed he was shy, but later you realized that he was simply a closed-off person.

“I’m glad we met,” you answered cheerfully. “It was quite the coincidence, really.”

You turned to the coffee machine and collected the finished beverage, carrying it to the counter. You added in a little bit of sugar just the way he liked it before you handed him the cup. When he picked it up, you noticed a piece of white bandage sticking out from under his sleeve. Curious, you decided to ask him about it.

“Did you hurt yourself?” you said and nodded your chin towards his hand. He stiffened, caution taking over his features.

“I cut myself by accident when I made dinner last night,” he muttered. The warmth in his brown eyes receded and made way for a cold that you weren’t familiar with. Surprised, you wondered whether you had said something wrong.

“Oh. Be more careful,” you said. “And don’t worry, you’re not the only one who’s bad at cooking.”

“I see,” he said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Put off by his strange behavior, you frowned. “I need to get going. Thanks for the coffee and see you tomorrow!”

“Bye,” you called after him, feeling slight disappointment as he left. You had the sense that your remark about his injury was the cause for his sudden departure. When it came to certain topics, he tended to become repellent, as if he had something to hide. You had no clue what exactly it could be, but you had a hunch that he was involved with the wrong crowd, judging by his tendency to get injured.

Amber came back from the kitchen and joined you at the counter, watching Baekhyun walk down the street. “Something about him makes me uneasy,” she said, furrowing her brows.

“What do you mean?” you asked curiously.

Your friend put her hand on her chin, staring at the tiles on the floor. “Sometimes, he has this cold look in his eyes… I think he could be involved in something bad.”

“Maybe…” you said unsurely. When even Amber had noticed, could your suspicion be true?

“It’s strange that he comes here every single day,” Amber replied with a sigh. “I think he likes you… but still, be wary of him.”

* * *

By the time your shift ended, it was four pm and you were quite tired. This whole time, you had been feeling terrible for obvious reasons, and now you wanted nothing more than to lie in your bed and shut out the entire world.

However, only moments before you could walk into the subway station, someone grabbed your arm and dragged you into an alley. A hand roughly covered your mouth and pressed your head against the wall of a building. Within a second, your heart was racing. You stared into Jiwon’s dark eyes, felt the blade of a knife at your throat. It hurt, digging into your skin, and it would draw blood if he continued to put pressure on it.

“If it isn’t the little bird,” he whispered into your ear. You were shaking uncontrollably as you realized why he had intercepted you on your way home.

 _He was here to kill you._ There was no doubt. He wanted the witness to his crime to be silenced. You looked around fearfully, but aside from two other gang members, you were the only people in the alley. You had to face the harsh truth: you were on your own and nobody would help you.

“If you scream, I’ll slit your throat,” Jiwon threatened before he removed his hand from your mouth. His ruthless tone made you cower away, but you couldn’t get away from him. He held you in an iron grip and the knife was a cruel reminder that your life could be snuffed out any second now.

“Wh-What do you want?” you whispered, your voice breaking in fear.

“You are going to do something for me,” he hissed. “And if you succeed, I’m going to spare your life. If you don’t, I’m going to kill you.”

Your eyes widened. “D-Don’t kill me,” you pleaded. “I’ll do anything!”

“Exactly what I expected to hear,” he smirked. “That guy you talked to this morning, Byun Baekhyun. I want you to get rid of him. He needs to die.”

All color left your face. Your stomach dropped and you forgot to breathe in shock. _Kill Baekhyun?_ No, this had to be a cruel joke. Why would Jiwon want Baekhyun dead? Why would anyone want that? You didn’t understand what was going on.

“Are you listening?” Jiwon snapped when you failed to answer, pushing your smaller body roughly against the wall behind you. The back of your head hit solid stone. Pain flared through your skull.

“Y-Yes,” you said through clenched teeth. “Why do you… want him dead? He never hurt anyone!”

To your horror, Jiwon began to laugh, looking genuinely amused by your question. You hated him so, so much, but you couldn’t do anything. He had a weapon, he was stronger, and the two gang members looming behind him didn’t make you any more confident to escape.

“You really don’t know anything,” he mocked you. “That Byun bastard belongs to a gang that keeps getting in my way. He in particular has been a major pain in the ass lately and I need to take him out. Preferably without casualties on my side, so I figured I could send you instead of my people. He seems to trust you which makes it easier to catch him off guard.”

That was the second shock you were confronted with in such a short time, and this one felt like a punch to your gut. If Jiwon hadn’t been holding you against the wall, your wobbly knees would have given out. You couldn’t believe that Baekhyun was one of _them_. How could he be a criminal? While you had been suspecting that he had some sort of secret, you wouldn’t have thought him to be in a gang.

Jiwon didn’t care about your shock and continued to explain his plan to you, shoving a small vial filled with liquid into your palm. “This is highly concentrated poison. Put it into his drink when he doesn’t notice,” he said threateningly. He kept the knife close to your throat. “You have three days. If you don’t do it within this period, you are dead. If he finds out, you are dead. The only way for you to survive is if he is taken care of.”

* * *

The following night was a blur. You barely slept at all. Fear, guilt, and helplessness clouded your thoughts. You were contemplating what to do, how to proceed, staring at the vial that was sitting on your desk. You had looked at it for so long that you even saw it in your mind when you closed your eyes.

Pulling the blanket over your head, you curled into a ball and cried. You didn’t want to kill anyone, but you didn’t want to die either—you wanted to _live_. Why was it you that had to get caught up in a feud between two dangerous gangs?

Not only did you think about your future actions and their consequences, but also about Baekhyun. You had to redraw the image you had of him, suddenly feeling like he was a stranger. Had he lied to you this whole time? Had the nice attitude only been a façade? What did he even want with you in the first place? You were just a normal woman, nobody special. If he really was in a gang, why bother hanging out with an ordinary person like you?

Your head was filled with countless questions that continued to steal your sleep. In the early morning hours, you finally managed to fall asleep, but your alarm clock soon roused you. Sluggishly, you got up and went to the bathroom to get ready for work, doing all you could to mask your tired complexion with make-up. You skipped breakfast, feeling sick to your stomach as you grabbed your purse and left the house.

Even without seeing them, you knew that your stalkers were already onto you. The moment you stepped outside, you felt their eyes on you. You hated the feeling. It aggravated your restless and desperate state, made you pick up your pace as you hurried to the subway station. Your hands were clammy when they reached for your phone in your pocket. You put on headphones and switched on some random music to distract yourself while you entered the train. Not that it helped much.

You arrived at work a tad late and had to hurry to get to the counter since the shop was already swarmed with customers who were on their way to their workplace. Amber had her hands full and looked relieved when you showed up to help her. Her eyebrows raised seeing your obvious exhaustion, but she bit her lip and swallowed her questions. You were both busy this morning, and for a little while, you managed to push your concerns aside.

That was until a certain someone entered the shop. Normally, you would have been happy to see him, but not today. Your hands curled into fists, clenching so hard that your fingernails dug crescents into your palms. He grinned cheekily at you, but you didn’t have it in you to return his smile.

“Good morning,” he said lightheartedly, leaning his hips against the counter.

“Hello,” you mumbled, lowering your head to look at the register. You wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. Jiwon had probably handed you poison because he knew how easy it would be to sneak it in Baekhyun’s coffee. You hadn’t brought the vial to work though. Not yet.

“Can I get you the usual?” you asked.

“Yes,” he replied. His tone conveyed astonishment since he didn’t understand the reason for your reluctance.

You quickly went to the coffee machine and stood in front of it as you waited for it to finish. With shaky fingers, you took the filled cup to carry it to the counter. You were fidgety and accidentally knocked the cup over, spilling the coffee over the countertop.

“Shit,” you hissed, turning to get paper towels to clean the mess up. Baekhyun watched you, scrutinizing you with narrowed eyes. He took some of the paper towels and helped cleaning.

“You’re not yourself today,” he said.

“I’m fine.”

“No, don’t lie,” he persisted. You took the paper towel from his hand and threw it away, readying another coffee for him.

“Something is wrong. I’ve known you for a while, but this past week, you have changed. You’ve never been this nervous and distracted.”

His eyes were piercing as he gazed at you, and you were almost sure he could read the answer to his questions in your expression. You froze under his watchful gaze, being all too aware that he wasn’t who you had thought him to be. While you shared your love for photography, there was something crucial that divided you. He was a criminal, and perhaps just as dangerous as Jiwon.

However, other than Jiwon, he had always been kind to you and never threatened you in any way. Then again, his friendly demeanor might as well just be a farce. The conflict in your heart tore you apart. Criminal or not, you didn’t think you had it in you to kill. But were you ready to sacrifice your life for him?

“Baekhyun, there’s nothing wrong, I can assure you that,” you said with a nervous smile.

“You can tell me. Maybe I could help you out,” he muttered. “Honestly, you look like someone’s after you or something.”

You swallowed. How had he figured that out so quickly? He took your ongoing silence as confirmation. His brown eyes hardened.

“You’re in trouble, aren’t you?” he prodded, leaning closer and lowering his voice. “I can help you, love.”

His proximity was intoxicating like the most addicting drug, and even though you tried to stop yourself, you were drawn to him. Your cheeks reddened and your heart fluttered. Whenever he called you love, you were confronted with the strong urge to kiss him, to close the distance between you.

You drew in a breath, concentrating on avoiding his perceptive eyes. “What if I am? How would you help me?” you asked.

His fingers held your chin and tilted it up gently but firmly. Your gazes met. “This isn’t the best place to discuss it,” he whispered. “How about we meet for dinner tonight and have a talk?”

“O-Okay,” you breathed, overwhelmed. Your brain stopped working and all you could think of was how incredibly silky his voice was, how soft his light-blond hair looked.

“Good,” he replied. His lips curled into a satisfied smirk as he pulled out his phone. “Tell me your number and I’ll send you my address.”

Your flustered self somehow managed to tell him your phone number while your heart continued to pound furiously in your chest. He saved it in his contact list, sliding the phone back into his jeans pocket.

“Don’t look so glum, love. We’ll find a solution for the problem,” he said, picking up his coffee before he turned to leave. “See you soon!”

The door to the shop closed and you were alone, standing rooted to the spot for minutes. Your eyes were locked to the door, dazed.

“What the fuck are you doing?” you told yourself, stumbling back until you hit the wall. You raked your hands through your hair exasperatedly and sunk to the floor, sitting in a hunched position. Why had you agreed to a damn dinner? You were supposed to kill him, not go on a date with him.

“This is sick,” you muttered and tiredly rubbed your aching temples. “How could I ever kill him?”

* * *

It was your fear for your life that drove you to put the vial with the poison into your pocket that evening. He had sent you a text just half an hour earlier, inviting you to his home. And that was where you arrived right at this moment.

You stood in front of his apartment door, ringing the doorbell. Uneasily shifting around, you clutched your purse with one hand. The fingers of your other hand drummed on your thigh restlessly. You had put on make-up earlier and chosen an elegant outfit for the evening. If the circumstances of your visit had been different, you would have considered this a date.

It wasn’t a date at all, though. What would you call this? _A premeditated murder about to happen?_ Bile rose in your throat. You were nauseous, and with every second that ticked by, the feeling grew worse. How could you even look him in the eyes? Even though you hadn’t acted yet, the guilt was eating you up from inside, torturing you.

When he opened the door for you, your heart almost stopped. He was dressed up as well which you noticed immediately. It aggravated your guilt. He must have been looking forward to seeing you—not knowing what you were about to do. You bit down on your lower lip so hard you tasted iron.

The white button-up he wore emphasized his lean built, his broad shoulders, and his slim waist. He had tucked it into his black pants and rolled up the sleeves to his elbows. His hair was a little disheveled, suggesting he hadn’t had time to comb it before you arrived. Some blond strands hung into his forehead, making him appear more attractive than he already was. You were torn between blushing the color of a tomato and feeling awful for your intentions.

“Hello, love,” he grinned and let you in, closing the door behind you.

“Good evening,” you replied nervously, handing him your jacket when he offered to put it on a hanger. In your anxious state, you barely noticed the surprisingly expensive furniture that filled his apartment. It was modern, consisting of grey and white tones.

“Are you hungry already, or do you want to eat later?” he asked.

Given how nauseous you were feeling, food was the last you wanted. “Later is fine,” you replied. “I would like to… to talk first.” You wanted to drag it out as long as possible because you knew that you weren’t ready to do it.

Understanding swimming in his brown eyes, he nodded. “That’s fine. Then we’ll do it that way,” he said and nodded towards a room to your right. “The living room is over there. I’ll join you in a moment.”

You sighed inwardly and walked into the room, surprised at its size. One wall consisted entirely of a glass pane that allowed a gorgeous view of the city while the opposite wall was decorated with a huge flatscreen tv. His trusted camera laid on the small cabinet underneath it. You sat on the wide grey sofa and waited for him to join you.

Hearing his steps approach, you turned to the door where he appeared with a bottle of wine and two glasses in his hands. He put everything down on the coffee table, smiling cheekily at you.

“I hope you like wine?” he asked. “I also have other beverages if you prefer something else.”

“N-No, wine is okay.”

He opened the bottle and poured the red liquid into your glasses, handing one of them to you. Instead of drinking from it, you stared at it with a dull gaze. You were well aware that he had just presented you with the perfect opportunity to go through with Jiwon’s plan. Just a few drops of poison in Baekhyun’s wine and then… You would be free. You only needed him to leave the room for a moment, perhaps you could make up some sort of excuse… Your breaths became erratic in panic and you hastily set the glass down on the coffee table. No. You couldn’t even think about it.

“Do you want to tell me what’s wrong, love? You’ve been so nervous tonight, and I’m afraid it’s not because of me,” he remarked, keeping his tone serious despite his flirty words. With some difficulty, you forced yourself to look at him.

“I can offer you protection,” he added.

“That sounds… awfully generous,” you replied. The vial you kept hidden in your pocket weighed a ton.

“Anything for you, love,” he said, his features softening. The ache in your heart grew as his smile warmed. “I need you to fully trust me, though, and that’s why we should talk about a few things first. Have you ever heard of the name Exo?”

“I… Yes. Everyone in this area knows… it’s one of the gangs,” you answered. It was fairly obvious now what he was on about, but you pretended to be clueless.

“Then let me get straight to the point. What I told you about my job was a lie. I’m not working for a trading company. The truth is that I’m a member of Exo,” he explained. “I’m sorry for lying to you, but I needed to keep my identity a secret.”

He studied your reaction calmly, waiting for an outburst, or any negative reaction, but all he saw was deep-rooted fear in your eyes. “I know that it’s a lot to swallow, but I can assure you that you don’t need to be scared of me or any of my friends,” he continued in a calm tone.

“I think… there are worse people in this town than you,” was all you said in response.

He leaned forward, freezing you in your spot with his cool gaze. “Why don’t you tell me more about those people?” The underlying threat in his words made you quiver. He indeed was more dangerous than you had thought him to be… but at this point you were so desperate you didn’t even care anymore. So what if he was in a gang? So what if he had blood on his hands? You knew that he wasn’t a heartless person.

_What about you though?_

Something in you snapped when you saw the hidden concern behind his anger. Your desperation boiled over suddenly. You hardly had a chance to mask it. The vial in your pocket was made of fire, burning through the fabric of your pants and singing your skin. You couldn’t take the pressure anymore.

“I… I’m sorry, but… I think I need a moment,” you stuttered.

“It’s all a bit much, hm?” he said quietly. “Calm down, love.”

“C-Can I use your bathroom?”

“It’s right down the hallway,” he said, and you shot up from the sofa, disappearing from view.

Inside the bathroom, you stood in front of the sink, taking deep and heaving breaths. Your heart was racing. _This was wrong_. You stared at your reflection, looking into your eyes. Did you really want to save your own skin by murdering someone else? Was that the kind of person you wished to be?

“What the fuck are you even doing here?” you asked yourself and glared at your reflection accusingly. Your shaky hands reached into your pocket to pull out the small vial. You held it with your index finger and thumb, watching the liquid slosh around inside.

If you wanted to walk away from this mess alive, you would need to put this into his wine when he wasn’t looking. It would probably not take long for him to die, taking into account what Jiwon had told you. And it would be impossible for anyone to link you to the murder. Nobody but Baekhyun knew that you visited him this evening. You could just get it over with and move on with your life. You would be rid of Jiwon and his threats and your life would go back to normal.

Tears burned in your eyes. “I’m sorry,” you breathed as you stared at your reflection. Deep within your heart, you already knew what you would do. You had known all along.

Your choice would be fatal for one of you.


	2. Chapter 2

The vial containing the poison looked inconspicuous, but the power it held was immense. The little bit of fluid could kill someone… and it was up to you to decide what would become of it. You took a deep breath. With your heart racing in your chest, you stared into the bathroom mirror. A bitter smile pulled at your lips.

You already made your choice—and you wouldn’t regret it. This was the only way to solve this problem once and for all.

You opened the vial and tipped it, letting the liquid drop out. It landed in the sink and vanished down the drain. Just to be sure, you put on the tap to wash away every last bit of the damned poison so it was gone and could not hurt anyone.

That was it. You had sealed your fate. The one who would die was you, and not him.

Despite taking the horrifying choice to throw away your life, a huge burden fell off your chest. You could finally _breathe_. Knees getting weak, you held on to the sink. You should have made this decision from the very start. After all, you had known that a life with _his_ blood on your hands wasn’t a life you wanted to live. You loved him, and the idea of hurting him shattered your heart into tiny pieces. You cherished every moment you spent with him, and you didn’t want to be the cause of his death.

Nonetheless, your desperation had driven you to bring the vial to his apartment. Eyes filling with tears, your vision blurred. You didn’t deserve to stay with him after this. And you didn’t deserve his help either. _You needed to leave._ Someone like you shouldn’t be anywhere near him.

Overwhelmed by the urge to run, you left the bathroom abruptly, drawing Baekhyun’s attention. “What’s going on?” he muttered, getting up from the sofa.

Hot tears streamed down your cheeks, and you couldn’t look him in the eyes anymore. “I’m sorry!” you chocked out and ran. You took off towards the front door, hastily put on your shoes, but didn’t care to bring your jacket. The moment your hand made contact with the door, he caught up to you and grabbed your arm.

You stumbled, wanted to free yourself, but he didn’t let go. “Hey, calm down! Is it because of what I told you earlier? Are you scared of me?”

He was stronger than you. No matter how much you struggled, his grip didn’t waver. Frustrated, you stopped fighting and breathed a deep sigh. “No, I’m not scared of you,” you answered quietly. “I’m afraid of myself.”

“You’re not making any sense. What’s up with you?” he asked.

“I have to go,” you said and again tried to move towards the door, but he thwarted your escape plan.

“You’re not going anywhere in that state,” he said in a demanding tone that you weren’t used to at all. Freezing, you looked at him with wide eyes. “Come with me. You have to calm down and then we’ll talk.”

He brought you back to the living room and made you sit down on the sofa right next to him. The situation irked him, you could tell. He probably didn’t like not knowing what was going on, and you couldn’t blame him for that. That’s why you decided to get right to the point.

“You know Jiwon, don’t you?” you asked. His eyes widened a fraction upon hearing that name from your mouth.

“Yeah. He’s been after me for a while,” Baekhyun said grimly. Anger rose in his eyes. “Bastard is trying all he can to kill me because I got in his way a few times. How do you know his name?”

He sounded impatient, colder than you had ever experienced him. It was as if he was a different person suddenly, the hate in his eyes scaring you even though it was not directed at you.

“I saw him committing murder around a week ago, and ever since then, his people have been stalking and threatening me. He found out that I know you and…” you hesitated, wondering how he would take this. “He blackmailed me into poisoning you, telling me he would kill me if I didn’t. A-And I just… I couldn’t do it. I-I don’t want you to die, so I threw the poison away.” Your voice broke. Tears spilled over your cheeks, dripping down your chin.

“So that’s why you’ve been acting strange. I had a hunch that something was wrong when you came here. The guilt was written all over your face,” he muttered. You watched him nervously, unsure if he was angry at you. “That proves what a ruthless asshole he is. I’ve always hated him, but this is… How dare he use you like this.”

Seeing your tears, his features softened and his scowl turned into a frown. “I’m sorry you had to go through so much, love. If I had known I would have interfered before it could go this far,” he said, inching closer to you and pulling your shaking form into a hug. “I’m going to take care of this problem like I told you. He won’t do anything to you.”

“B-But how would you prevent that?”

His silence was louder than a thousand words, and it made you shudder inwardly. You realized that this conflict would be written in blood. There was no other way out—someone would die, and whether it was you, or Baekhyun or Jiwon, only time would tell.

“Baekhyun?” you asked when he failed to answer. You didn’t look up at his face, leaning your head against his chest. With his arms wrapped around your back, you felt safer than before.

“Don’t concern yourself with the details,” he replied. The cold undertone in his voice didn’t leave much room for speculations. It was easy to guess what he would do to Jiwon. “I’ll take care of it, and until then, you’re staying with me. Okay?”

You nodded since you were no longer keen on leaving the apartment. Jiwon would have you killed the next time he saw you. The thought sent shivers down your spine.

“Thank you,” you replied. “I’m grateful for your help. Are you not mad at me?”

“It’s okay, love,” he said, his voice softening. “Why would I be mad at you? You haven’t done anything wrong.”

Your fear and your nervousness finally evaporated. You took a deep breath and relaxed, closing your eyes as you hugged him back. His body was surprisingly muscular, you couldn’t help but notice. Sighing softly, you snuggled closer. He readjusted his arm around your waist so you were more comfortable.

Dipping his head, he planted a kiss on your hair. The gesture made your cheeks heat up. You opened your eyes to gaze at his face, finding a teasing smile on his lips.

“You must like me a lot when you go so far as to risk your life for me,” he said. The admiration glimmering in his chocolate eyes caused your heart to swell. The wings of hundreds of butterflies fluttered in your stomach. “It proves you have a strong will. Not all people would have acted the way you did.”

“Well, I do like you,” you blurted shyly.

“I like you too, I have for a while,” he murmured. You flushed under his adoring gaze.

“That’s why you kept coming back to get coffee,” you guessed. His fingers painted tender circles on your arm, leaving a warm sensation that spread through your body. You were in bliss, could finally smile without worrying. For the first time in a week, you were truly happy. He gave you a sense of safety—just the kind of feeling you had been longing for.

“You caught me,” he said amusedly. “I enjoy talking to you, but since my situation is complicated, I was reluctant to reveal much about myself.”

“I’m glad you’ve decided to be honest now.”

“Do you mind that I’m not who you thought I was?”

“To be completely truthful with you, it was a shock when Jiwon told me about you. I couldn’t believe it at first. You were always so kind to me, and you being involved with a gang just didn’t make sense,” you explained and frowned at the memory of your encounter with the ruthless gang leader.

“I have no reason to be anything but kind to you, love,” he said. “The same can’t be said for him…” He left the sentence hanging in the air, and again, there was this foreign coldness present in his features. It seemed to be reserved for those he had made enemies of.

“Baekhyun… when you go after him, please be careful,” you said. The quaking of your voice couldn’t be hidden from him no matter how much you tried to keep up a strong façade. He saw through you effortlessly. “He is unpredictable.”

“I know,” he muttered, stroking the back of your head. “I can’t bear the thought that he got near you. It makes me angry.”

His words were underlined by the sharpness of his gaze as he stared into space. There was no room for forgiveness in the kind of business he was in. If someone made an enemy of him, then he didn’t show mercy. Especially not when it involved someone he cared about—like you.

“It might take me a few days, but I will find him,” he muttered. “And when this is finished, you don’t have to worry about anything anymore. You’re under my protection, love.”

“Again, thank you so much,” you said, in awe that he would go so far for you. “I don’t know why you would do this, it’s not like I’m anyone special, I just—”

“Stop talking,” he said and put his index finger on your lips. Your eyes went wide, and you didn’t say another word. He leaned in, mesmerizing you with the warm brown of his iris. “I’ll show you why I’m doing it.”

You weren’t prepared for what followed, but you wouldn’t say that you minded. He captured your gaze while his fingers wandered to your chin, holding it gently.

His lips met yours and they melded together, two opposites becoming one. At first, you were startled, but not for long. Your surprise quickly faded, and you began to respond to the gentle kiss. The slightly bitter taste of wine mixed in with something sweeter invaded your mouth. Addicted to his touch, you closed your eyes in bliss. Your hands began to wander, following the contours of his shoulder blades, moving over his neck to his hair. It was soft and silky even though he had bleached it, and you lazily raked your hands through it.

You leaned into him, sitting in his lap. He pulled you closer, held you protectively. A kiss was planted on the corner of your mouth followed by many more. You let him guide you, complete you. The warmth that filled you was nothing short of wonderful.

By the time you ended the kiss, you were breathing heavily, your pupils blown wide. He rested his forehead against yours, cupped your cheeks. The mischievous glimmer in his eyes caught your attention and gave him an irresistible charm.

“Do you understand now?” he asked.

“You have an interesting way of explaining things,” you said breathlessly.

“Did you like it?”

“Yes,” you said honestly. “I loved it.”

“Then we’re on the same page,” he smirked. “But just to be absolutely clear about it, let me ask one question.”

He gazed at you with adoration, and you couldn’t look away from him. Your heartbeat accelerated, thumped wildly in your chest. Anticipation built within you and your curiosity grew.

“Do you want to be my girlfriend, love?” he asked, giving you a flirty smile that stole your heart once more.

The beam on your face was brighter than the sun, showing your joy. “Yes,” you replied.

“Perfect,” he murmured, “I was hoping for that answer.”

“I can tell,” you smiled, leaning in to share another kiss with him. You were incredibly happy, couldn’t believe that he had asked you to be his girlfriend. It had been obvious he liked you, but you hadn’t expected him to ask this question so quickly. It was the final push you needed to let go of all your fears for good. You didn’t waste another thought about Jiwon, instead gazing at Baekhyun and enjoying his proximity.

You spent the rest of the evening having dinner and looking at photos he had taken with his camera. Baekhyun was easy to get along with, and now that you had gotten rid of all your secrets, you found that you had grown even closer than before.

He went through the many photos on his camera, one more breathtaking than the next. You had never doubted his talent, but seeing his work with your own eyes was impressing nonetheless. He captured the most trivial scenes and made them look like a very special moment. You marveled at a photo that showed the morning dew that had gathered on lush green grass blades, reflecting the first sunrays of the day. The dew drops appeared like round diamonds and looked magical.

“This is incredible,” you breathed. “Photography should be more than just a hobby for you.”

“I’m too busy with work,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “And besides, I’m sure that photography would lose its appeal to me when I would be forced to take pictures for other people. I’m doing this solely for myself, it’s my way to relax and calm down when work gets stressful.”

His hand trailed over your back, lingering on your arm. The fond way with which he hugged your body prompted you to sigh in contentment. He looked at you for a moment, and eventually, his eyes lit up.

“Why don’t you model for me, love? I would be happy to take photos of you,” he grinned.

“I don’t think I would be a good model,” you said, avoiding his gaze shyly.

“Nonsense. You are perfect,” he insisted, secretly finding the pink on your cheeks adorable. “I’m sure you aren’t just a good photographer, but a pretty model as well.”

“You are such a charmer, Baekhyun,” you mumbled, prompting him to laugh affectionately.

“So I’ve been told,” he answered, nuzzling his face into your hair. He kissed your temple, the softness of his lips causing your heartbeat to speed up. Part of you still couldn’t believe that the scariest evening of your life had turned into the best evening of your life. It was as if you were dreaming, laying in the arms of your crush that had become your boyfriend so fast.

“Please, love? Do it for me,” he said persistently, but you were still reluctant about the idea to stand in front of a camera. _His_ camera.

“Okay, fine. I’m going to convince you,” he added with a smug smirk. The cheeky look in his eyes was the only warning you got before he began to pepper your neck with butterfly kisses.

Your breath hitched in your throat. Warm tingles spread all over your skin, the soft touches of his lips bringing you to a state of pure delight. You closed your eyes and enjoyed it, moving your hand over his light-blond hair in an affectionate caress. He lingered at your collarbones and planted one last kiss on your neck before he raised his head to gaze at you.

A smirk played with the corners of his lips, and it only grew when he spotted the pink blush on your cheeks. “Please? Do it for me,” he asked, tilting his head.

You exhaled, having to admit to yourself that your resolve crumbled away. “Okay, I’m going to do it,” you whispered, breathless. “But only because it’s you.”

The triumphant grin that lit up his face made you smile. “I know it will be amazing,” he said contently, hugging you tightly. His clinginess was unexpected, but you definitely weren’t opposed to it.

After another while, you ended up cuddling on the sofa, getting sleepier by the minute. The day had been exhausting, so it was natural that you were only half-awake at this point. He caressed your body with his slender hands, running them up and down your side. The motion felt relaxing. You were cozy, and you didn’t want to move.

“Love, why don’t we head to bed now?” he murmured into your ear. “You’re tired and after all the stress today, you should rest.”

“Please just let me stay here,” you mumbled, but Baekhyun was stubborn, and he didn’t want you to sleep on the sofa.

“Sorry, but that won’t work,” he countered. Before you registered what he was even doing, he had slipped one arm under your knees and one behind your back, lifting you. Suddenly, your eyes were wide open and you hugged his neck.

“W-What…?” you gasped. “What are you doing? I’m too heavy, let me down!”

He snorted, smiling down at you. His eyes twinkled. “Nope. You’re not heavy at all, love. I can carry you just fine.”

And he did exactly that, crossing the hallway and entering a modern-looking bedroom where he put you down on the edge of the bed. Then he went to his wardrobe to fetch a change of clothes for you, throwing a random shirt and sweatpants at you.

“You can put this on. There’s a new toothbrush in the medicine cabinet,” he said, nodding his chin to where the bathroom was.

“Thank you,” you said, and then you hurried to the bathroom to get ready for bed as soon as possible. Your exhausted self could hardly form a coherent thought. It was about time you got some rest.

You were on autopilot while you brushed your teeth and changed clothes. Trudging back to his bedroom, you discarded your stuff on the desk chair. Baekhyun went to brush his teeth as well, and while you waited for him to come back, your curious eyes explored the room you were in.

Heavy dark grey curtains covered the windowpane, pooling on the soft carpet. He had white sheets on the bed, but other than that, the colors were mostly dark. Your gaze strayed over to his desk and got stuck. Breath hitching in your throat, you paused.

A black gun laid on the desk. You eyed it conflictedly, wondering whether he had ever used it to kill someone. That he even owned such a thing unsettled you. Then again, you shouldn’t be surprised since he was part of a notorious criminal organization. Exo was known to be involved in all kinds of shady dealings—you didn’t rule out murder to be one of them.

You drew in a shuddering breath, pinching the bridge of your nose. Why had your life become so complicated within the span of one week? It was _ridiculous_. Everything had escalated so fast after your encounter with Jiwon and his gang… You had gotten tangled up with not one, but _two_ dangerous gangs. This couldn’t end well.

Caught up in your dark thoughts, you didn’t hear the sound of approaching footsteps. Baekhyun returned only to see you lingering at the window. His eyebrows rose.

“Don’t you want to go to bed?” he asked.

“Uhm… yeah,” you said unsurely.

“I don’t bite,” he smirked and sat on the mattress, invitingly patting the spot next to him. You let out a sigh, deciding that it was too late to worry about your situation. You could ask him more questions about Exo tomorrow. Right now, you just wanted to sleep.

You moved to the bed and slipped under the covers. The sheets smelled of him, were soft and comfortable. You yawned, rubbing your eyes tiredly. Baekhyun’s arm snuck under the cover and wrapped around your waist to pull you in. You shuffled closer and eagerly cuddled up to him. Nestled at his chest, you felt at peace. Here, you were safe and protected. Nothing would happen to you.

It was ironic, really. Baekhyun was no less dangerous than Jiwon, but your feelings towards him were entirely different. You weren’t scared, just a bit confused by your complicated situation.

“Sleep well, love,” he murmured, pressing a kiss on your forehead. A soft smile bloomed on your lips. You closed your eyes, relaxing your body as you basked in his warmth.

“You too, Baek,” you mumbled, about to fall asleep.

You dozed off quickly and didn’t wake up until the next morning. At first, you didn’t remember where you were, finding yourself in an unfamiliar room. These grey walls definitely weren’t yours… and neither was the large bed you were laying in.

It took you a few more seconds to realize that you were in Baekhyun’s apartment. He, however, was nowhere to be seen. The spot on the bed where he had slept was empty and felt rather cold. He must have been up for a while, probably deciding to let you sleep in.

The urge to talk to him grew within you, prompting you to push the cover away from you. Stretching your arms, you sat on the edge of the bed for a moment before you got up, intending to look for him. You assumed he was in the kitchen, so that was where you checked first.

Sleepily, you trudged into the room, only to find it empty. Frowning, you turned back and headed to the living room, but he wasn’t there either.

“Baekhyun?” you called through the apartment, not receiving an answer.

“Isn’t he home?” you mumbled worriedly. You checked his office briefly, ending up disappointed.

Wondering where he could be, you walked back to the bedroom where you remained, undecidedly glancing around. At least, until your eyes fell on the desk where you had spotted the gun yesterday.

It was gone. And that could only mean that Baekhyun was gone as well. He must have been in such a hurry that he hadn’t even bothered leaving a note for you. Worry settled in the pits of your stomach and you wondered whether Jiwon had already noticed that his plan had failed.

You hoped that Baekhyun was safe, wherever he was right now. Picking up your phone, you sent him a quick message, just to be sure. Then, you headed into the bathroom to freshen up. You fixed your hair and changed your clothes, brushed your teeth.

Just when you were done, you heard the front door click and open. Footsteps came closer to the bathroom. You put a smile on your face, relieved that Baekhyun was here already, and left the room.

However, it wasn’t Baekhyun who had entered the flat. You stared into the barrel of a gun, heard Jiwon’s mocking voice say two words that sent a chill down your spine. “Game over.”

* * *

Your body was ice-cold. The small room you were kept in was in the basement of the building that Jiwon’s gang called their home. He made sure you couldn’t escape, tying you to a chair with your hands behind your back.

“So, little bird,” Jiwon began. The sinister smirk on his lips made you sick to your stomach. “Tell me why you thought you could betray me.”

You glared at him in defiance, not wanting to speak to him at all. If there was a person you despised, it was him. He and his gang had ruined so many lives. Every time you remembered the cruel murder you had witnessed that night, you had bile rising in your throat. You didn’t know why that person had to die, but you were convicted that it hadn’t been a necessary evil. Your bound hands were shaking behind your back.

It was horrifying to be alone in a room with a _murderer_. He scared you to the core. His gaze was cold and unfeeling—he didn’t give a shit about what would become of you. Jiwon was the kind of person who was ready to shed blood in order to reach his goals. And currently, you were standing in his way.

“Don’t want to talk to me?” he asked. Against your expectations, he didn’t sound too angry at that. The excitement flashing over his face wasn’t any better, though. It was worse. He reached into his pocket and got his knife, flipping it open.

“Great, then we are going to do it the messy way,” he chuckled. “I told you what would happen if you fail… and you did fail. You didn’t kill Byun, no, you decided to partner up with him. Bastard left early in the morning to wreak havoc in one of my warehouses. However, he didn’t take into account that I had people watching you.”

Jiwon smirked and crossed his arms. “Something about this is very funny. When you went to visit him, you led us right to his apartment. That was very smart of you, little bird,” he said smugly. “All I had to do was wait for the right moment to strike.”

Cursing, you realized your mistake. How could you have forgotten? His people had been tailing you all the time, of course they had followed you to his apartment. In your nervous state, you hadn’t realized any of this. Your whole attention had been focused on the poison and the dreadful task you had been given.

“Do you know what people in my business do with traitors?” he asked. Sick pleasure danced in his dark eyes. Your breathing quickened, became uneven in panic. The closer the knife got to you, the more your body shook. You had vowed not to show any fear, but that was damn hard to do when your life was in the hands of a madman. 

You didn’t answer him. The nervous fluttering of your eyelids betrayed your inner turmoil, and he smirked widely, enjoying your torment. Jiwon dragged the knife’s edge over the skin on your neck, leaving a thin cut that burned like fire. You groaned, clenching your hands to fists.

“Leave me the fuck alone,” you hissed. “What did I ever do to you?”

“Easy, you picked the wrong side in a war,” he countered coldly. “Shouldn’t have gone with Exo. Your mistake.”

“Do you really think I would have killed someone for you?” you spat, hate burning in your eyes. Your anger momentarily drowned out your fear, causing your voice to tremble with rage.

“To be honest, I wasn’t convinced you would go through with it,” he replied with a shrug. “But that’s why I had another plan in mind. You will play your part, whether you like it or not.”

“What do you mean?” you asked, already having a vague idea. He had to have a good reason for taking you hostage instead of killing you on the spot…

“I will make Byun an offer he can’t refuse,” Jiwon said. “If he wants you back, he’ll have to trade himself in.”

“He won’t,” you said through clenched teeth. The longer you spoke to Jiwon, the more you began to realize just how bad this situation was. You’d known that your life was forfeit the second Jiwon had cornered you in Baekhyun’s apartment. Baekhyun on the other hand had been safe at that moment, and that had reassured you a bit, but now you started to worry about him getting dragged into this mess too. The last you wanted was to be the cause of his demise. It turned out that getting rid of the poison hadn’t been enough. It had already been too late at that moment. Your love for him was no different than a contamination; something that would slowly kill him. 

If only you hadn’t witnessed the murder in that fateful night, maybe you and Baekhyun could have been happy together… perhaps there would have been a way for you to be a couple despite the shady business he was involved in.

“He will be upset that I stole you from right under his nose,” Jiwon cackled. “It’s I shame I can’t see his face when he finds out.”

“Your plan will fail,” you growled desperately. “H-He wouldn’t risk his life for me.”

“He will,” Jiwon countered.

The darkness in his gaze was horrifying. He leaned in and brought the knife close to your face, dragging it over your cheek. You struggled, but you couldn’t escape him. He held your chin in a vice-like grip, leaving a bruise.

“Shouldn’t have gotten involved with him, little bird,” he smirked. “I’ll make sure you’ll be very pretty when he sees you.”

You couldn’t suppress a pained moan. The blade dug deep into your skin, drawing more and more blood. It ran down your face, following your jugular and getting soaked up by your shirt. Agony consumed you—you had never experienced anything like this. It was hell on earth.

The last of your hope shattered as he raised the knife to plunge it into your arm. Your vision blurred as pain exploded in your body, tearing at you until you couldn’t withstand it any longer. Unconsciousness welcomed you in its saving embrace.

* * *

The next time you came to, you were lying in the back of a van, dumped on the ground like a piece of trash. Jiwon and a few of his men were in the car with you. Your eyes had trouble focusing on anything, and the terrible headache you experienced didn’t help. It made it nearly impossible for you to follow the conversation the gang members were having, but from the sounds of their voices, you assumed that they were quite satisfied with how things were going for them.

You on the other side felt like a lamb led to the slaughter. Squeezing your eyes shut, you tried to hold in your tears of frustration, not wanting them to see your desperation. You concentrated on your breathing, tried to keep it slow and even. It was hard not to get lost in the storm that was building in you—the panic, the fear, the uncertainty; it all drove you insane. What would happen to you? What would happen to _him_? Would he survive?

“Please just… let this end well somehow,” you thought to yourself.

The rope that bound your hands dug into the raw skin of your wrists. You had tried to loosen them by rubbing your hands together, but it hadn’t worked. These people knew what they were doing, and they had made your restraints so tight that it was impossible to escape them.

You felt the stickiness of half-dried blood soaking your shirt, and a quick glance confirmed what you were fearing. The wound on your arm was deep, and you had lost quite a lot of blood. Perhaps that was the reason for your lightheadedness. Now, thankfully, the bleeding seemed to have stopped. Otherwise, you would have been dead at this point. The pain was still there though, paralyzing your weak body.

When the car came to a sudden halt, your anxiety spiked. The engine was turned off and the gang members began to move. One ripped open the door to your left and they jumped out one after the other. As Jiwon barked his orders, you were lifted up roughly and dragged out of the car. Your wobbly knees barely carried your weight.

You stumbled along with them while two men flanked you. The area you were in was unfamiliar to you. It seemed to be an old warehouse in one of the shadier parts of town. Surrounded by decrepit apartment complexes, it didn’t look safe. Since it was the middle of the night, everything was dark except for a few street lamps nearby.

The group entered the warehouse with you in their midst. It was a dark and dusty building, filled with boxes that were stacked up on the ground. They took you to a metal stair and you suffered through the pain while they forced you to walk to the top. Jiwon kicked open the door that led to the building’s flat roof.

He and the six men he had brought along positioned themselves in the middle of the dimly lit roof, keeping you in between them so that you couldn’t run. Not that you would have been able to in your state, but they weren’t about to take any risks.

“Now, if he doesn’t arrive within the next thirty minutes, you are going to die,” Jiwon told you heartlessly. “You can only hope that he cares enough, little bird.”

Gritting your teeth, you glared at him, prompting him to laugh. “So defiant. Not that it would win you anything in the end, but I can see why the bastard likes you,” he added amusedly.

The sound of a car pulling up close to the warehouse had you grow uneasy. A door was opened and closed, the creaking being loud in the quiet of the night. You heard footsteps coming up the metal staircase inside the building.

Pain, nausea and fear blurred together and created a devastating mix. You couldn’t take it. Why had Baekhyun decided to come? He had to know that he wouldn’t walk out of here alive. This whole mess was all your fault. He shouldn’t be the one to pay the price.

The rusty door to the rooftop was kicked open from the other side, nearly falling off its hinges. Baekhyun stepped on the roof with two unfamiliar men that you had never seen before. They were both roughly of the same height as him, had their guns drawn just like him. One of them had black hair and the other was strawberry blond. They looked like they had only just gotten out of a fight. Bloody scrapes and bruises covered their faces, and their dark clothes were worse for wear.

Baekhyun’s features were partially shadowed, but the scorching heat in his gaze was plain to see. He was seething in anger, gripping his gun tightly.

“If it isn’t Byun,” Jiwon mocked. “Looks like you didn’t listen to our agreement. I told you to come here alone.”

“I’m not playing by the rules,” Baekhyun snapped furiously. “You should know that best. Moreover, I don’t trust you.”

“Fair enough.”

Jiwon turned to you, harshly dragging you in front of him so the other three men could see you. He pressed the cold barrel of his gun to your head, causing your battered body to quake in fear.

Baekhyun’s countenance slipped as soon as he laid eyes on you. He looked shocked, took in the blood staining your face and clothes with disbelief. Even his two comrades were astounded by your state, though their surprise didn’t last for long. It was overtaken by rage and hatred.

“How fucking dare you!” Baekhyun thundered.

“Did I make you angry? Great,” Jiwon taunted. “If she hadn’t passed out so quickly, I would have added some more cuts to her pretty face.”

“You are going to pay,” Baekhyun countered. He was livid. The hand that held his gun was shaking with barely held back rage. The fury in his eyes was burning brightly, but it was mixed with concern for your wellbeing.

“Don’t worry about me,” you tried to reassure him. You cringed when you realized that your voice sounded a whole lot weaker than you had intended. Baekhyun’s gaze moved from Jiwon to you and your eyes met for the first time tonight. For a brief moment, his gaze softened.

“You’ll be fine, I promise,” he said, convinced in his own words. The furious determination he conveyed quickly became your strength. His posture and his expression radiated nothing but certainty. He stood proudly, confidently, despite being severely outnumbered. Where he drew his confidence from was a mystery to you, but it served to quell your fear.

“Stop talking so much,” Jiwon cut in annoyedly. “Our deal was for you to take her place. Move over here, Byun, and put down your weapon before you do. The same goes for your friends,” Jiwon ordered.

“Take your gun away from her head first,” Baekhyun demanded.

“So you can shoot me?” Jiwon laughed. “No.”

You stared at Baekhyun with wide eyes, wanting to convey to him that he shouldn’t do it. Without his gun, he would be at Jiwon’s mercy. Your life wasn’t worth taking this kind of risk—but the stubborn man clearly had a different opinion than you. He didn’t look scared in the least while he slowly put down his gun on the ground, kicking it out of reach. Your worry skyrocketed when his two friends did the same.

You didn’t understand what their plan was. What did they wish to accomplish with three unarmed people? Why were they so calm despite being outnumbered? Something wasn’t adding up here.

“Now put your hands up so we can see them,” Jiwon ordered. You knew that he enjoyed being the one in charge. He sounded sickeningly pleased with this situation.

The three Exo members complied with his words and held up their hands. You bit your lip hard, drawing blood. They couldn’t be serious! What in the world was their plan? Jiwon’s bruising grip on your arm didn’t falter, but he thankfully moved the barrel of the gun away from your temple. Still, you knew that you weren’t safe yet. Not with him and his members armed and ready to kill.

Nonetheless, Baekhyun stayed calm. He moved towards you with slow steps while the other two men stayed back. “W-Why are you doing this?” you stuttered. “Please, just… leave. My life isn’t worth it.”

He inclined his head, and you swore you saw his eyes narrow for a brief second. “It is,” he replied sternly. “You would have done the same for me.”

“But Baekhyun, you are going to die if you—” you started, but he cut you off.

“Close your eyes, love,” he said, steadily gazing at you. “Trust me.”

“Aren’t you _cute_. You talk too much, Byun. Hurry the fuck up before I lose my patience,” Jiwon taunted, but Baekhyun paid him no mind, ignoring his words.

He held your gaze until you complied and closed your eyes. Whatever that would do, you didn’t know. Anxiously, you waited for something to happen. With only darkness to surround you, your focus became Jiwon’s hand holding your arm in a painful grip. Even though he had moved his gun away from you, you were very restless, expected to be killed at any moment's notice. Straining your ears, you heard Baekhyun take another step.

And then it happened. A disgusting squelch reached your ears, along with several thuds and pained groans. Something wet splashed the side of your torso. It was warm, felt revolting. Jiwon’s grip on you loosened and vanished entirely. Scared to the core, you kept your eyes shut tightly, not having the courage to open them.

Quick steps neared you. Your shaking body was embraced without warning, but upon realizing who was hugging you, you relaxed. “Baekhyun,” you whispered, opening your eyes. He put his hand on the back of your head, gently pushing it into his chest.

“Don’t look, love,” he said. “You’re safe now. They are taken care of.” His voice froze over towards the end, not holding an ounce of remorse.

“What happened?” you asked.

“Jiwon forgot one crucial detail,” he explained. “Exo is nine. We never act alone, no matter what happens. Our leader had the brilliant idea to place snipers on the rooftops of the buildings in the vicinity. They had our backs and were only waiting for my signal to shoot. We had the upper hand from the beginning.”

“Y-Your entire gang is here?” you asked in astonishment, not feeling sorry for Jiwon and his men. It didn’t bother you that they had been taken out like this since you knew that it would have been either them or you.

“Yeah. They’re on the way to this building as we speak,” Baekhyun said, stroking the back of your head. He noticed that your hands were still bound in front of your stomach and reached into his pocket to retrieve a small knife. Carefully, he cut open the rope and gently inspected your wrists.

“You’re hurt badly, love. We need to get your injuries treated soon. You must be in so much pain.”

“I’m alive and that’s what matters,” you replied, lifting your head to meet his eyes.

He sighed, a smirk curling his lips up. “You’re a tough nut,” he said. “I was fucking scared when I came back to my apartment to find it trashed. Bastard left a ransom note and barely gave me time to come up with a plan.”

“I can imagine,” you sighed. “He broke in and surprised me… I… I couldn’t do anything.”

“It was my mistake. I shouldn’t have left you alone.” His brown eyes shimmered with regret. You frowned, put your hand on his bruised cheek.

“Don’t say that. You couldn’t have known,” you said before your lips formed a soft smile. “Thank you for saving me.”

Standing on your tiptoes, you kissed him slowly, though in your dizzy state, you soon began to sway. He broke the kiss and steadied you, keeping his hands on your back.

“Don’t mention it, love,” he whispered to you.

You avoided looking at the scene behind you when you turned your head to glance at the other two men who were watching your exchange with sly grins on their lips. “Thank you too, by the way,” you said.

“You’re welcome,” the blond one replied.

“Doesn’t happen every day we get to play knights in shining armor for a woman,” the other added cheekily.

“Shut it, Jongdae. You’re fucking embarrassing,” Baekhyun sighed. “And stop grinning like that, Minseok.”

“Can’t help it. You’re both so cute,” Minseok retorted. You giggled, joy filling your being. The relief about being safe was insanely strong and brought tears to your eyes.

However, you were careless. None of you noticed that Jiwon wasn’t dead yet. None of you noticed him reaching for his gun. In blissful ignorance, you continued your conversation, slowly making your way to the door that led to the stairway. Jongdae and Minseok went on ahead while Baekhyun and you followed. He had to support you since you had trouble walking.

Jiwon coughed, blood gushing from his mouth. “Fuck you,” he breathed. “I won’t die alone.” He closed his hand around the grip of the gun, weakly lifting it. His aim was unsteady, shaky, but even a fool could hit a target at this distance.

“See you in hell,” he smirked and pulled the trigger.


	3. Chapter 3

Baekhyun kept his arm around your lower back to steady your weak body, throwing you worried glances as you walked towards the staircase. You turned your head towards him, about to tell him you were fine when you noticed something.

From the corner of your eye, you saw movement behind you. Alarmed, you looked over your shoulder. Your heart stopped. Jiwon was still alive—and he aimed his gun at Baekhyun. Your mind exploded with panic as you realized that he wanted to kill him.

You didn’t think. Your body acted on its own. Using all the strength you had, you shoved your body into Baekhyun, pushing him out of the line of fire.

The earsplitting bang of a gunshot pierced the silent night. Your gaze met Baekhyun’s as both of you fell. He looked confused and shocked, but then realization made his eyes widen considerably. He opened his mouth, screaming your name.

Your world tilted in slow motion. Shapes and colors blurred. You hit the ground hard. Without warning, agonizing pain shot through your body. You screamed, pressing your hand on the side of your stomach. Hot blood gushed over your trembling fingers. It hurt more than anything you had ever experienced in your life. You writhed in pain, taking short and panicked breaths. With your desperate gaze fixed on the dark night sky, you wondered if you would die tonight. Tears pricked at your eyes.

Another gunshot sounded through the night, ending Jiwon’s life. The loud noise had you quake in fear.

Baekhyun appeared in your line of vision, leaning over your fallen body. He touched your cheek to assure you were still awake, frantically checked your pulse. His expression was distorted. He fought back tears, holding in his sobs with difficulty.

“No, this can’t happen,” he choked out. “Not you!”

Minseok and Jongdae shouted something, but you couldn’t make sense of what they were saying. With the little strength you retained, you focused on Baekhyun. Through a haze of pain, you watched him and attempted to speak. There were so many things you needed to tell him, but your damn body wouldn’t listen to you. Your mouth didn’t move and neither did your arms. Like a broken puppet, you laid on the ground and had lost all control of yourself. Cold seeped into your limbs as more blood gushed from your wound. Your life was steadily fading.

Baekhyun pressed his hands on the injury, desperately trying to halt the blood loss. His tears were overflowing, running down his cheeks. “Please, please don’t leave me,” he pleaded with you. The fearful trembling in his voice was something you had never thought you would hear from him.

Your heart shattered in your chest. You wanted nothing more than to comfort him and tell him it would be fine… but you couldn’t speak. And you were sure that you would not survive this night. The thought of leaving him after the entire ordeal you went through devastated you. You loved him—you didn’t want to leave him. Especially not when he was crying.

“Can you hear me? Don’t fall asleep, love,” he sputtered nervously. You almost didn’t recognize him anymore. He never wavered, never gave up, not even when someone held a gun in his face. Seeing him like this hurt so fucking much.

“Stay with me,” he said desperately. You blinked, scrunching your brow. His mouth moved as he continued to speak to you. He yelled, screamed, but his words were swallowed by the fog that clouded your mind. You were slowly fading. The pain finally receded and made way for paralyzing numbness. Somewhere in the haze, you thought about how grateful you were to at least have kissed him before you died. You wished you had confessed to him too… just once.

You breathed in, breathed out. Your eyelids fluttered, closed. Your broken body reached its limits, and then you knew no more.

“No, open your eyes!” Baekhyun cried, keeping his blood-covered hands on your injury. “Please, you can’t just leave me!”

Loud footsteps neared from the stairs and only moments later, six other men reached the rooftop. They froze when they saw the scene in front of them. You were covered in red, the color blooming on your shirt like a deadly flower, originating from a terrible wound in your abdomen.

“Help!” Baekhyun shouted, waking them from their paralyzed state. They began to move quickly, Sehun hurrying back to get a medical kit from the car. Yixing and Junmyeon kneeled next to Baekhyun, assessing the damage within seconds. Junmyeon checked your pulse, finding its weak beats with difficulty.

“She needs a blood transfusion. The loss of blood is concerning,” Yixing muttered, narrowing his eyes. As a former surgeon, he possessed vast medical knowledge, but he couldn’t do much to help as long as they were here. “We have to carry her to the car… fast!”

The Exo members worked quickly and efficiently, using a makeshift bandage to keep the blood loss under control. Together, they carried you down the stairs and to their car where they laid you on the backseat. Baekhyun was shaking, not leaving your side. His eyes drifted from your stomach to your face and back. _You were so damn pale_ , he couldn’t take it.

“Floor it, Chanyeol!” he called just when the red-haired man started the engine.

* * *

Immediately after reaching Exo’s property at the edge of town, they prepared the surgery room in the basement for emergency surgery. Since they were notorious criminals, they couldn’t rely on hospitals. It didn’t happen often that one of them was severely injured, but the room had already proven itself as useful. Yixing, Minseok and Kyungsoo stayed with you to perform the surgery.

They told the others to leave them alone since they would only be in the way. Jongin and Chanyeol dragged Baekhyun away forcefully since he refused to leave. He was shaking still, and the hopelessness that manifested in his eyes wasn’t a sight his friends were used to.

They gathered in the living room of the expensive mansion they owned, spreading out over the sofas in the middle of it. At first, they were covered in heavy silence. Nobody spoke, nobody knew what to say. They were all shocked that their rescue attempt had backfired like this.

In the end, it was their leader who broke the silence first. “How could this happen?” Junmyeon asked. “We made sure to shoot them all.” 

“It really looked like they were dead,” Jongdae said, restlessly shifting around. “They were covered in blood and motionless… We didn’t bother checking, and that was a mistake.”

“I hate Jiwon,” Sehun hissed, crossing his arms. “He only ever caused trouble. We should have gotten rid of him much sooner.”

“He won’t get in our way anymore,” Jongin said defeatedly. “Now we can only hope that this will end well. Yixing is good at his job… there is a chance she will make it.” His gaze came to rest on Baekhyun who sat on the sofa with his elbows resting on his thighs. His head was lowered as he stared at the wooden floor. He was covered in blood and looked as if he had gone through hell and back.

“You have to calm down,” Chanyeol said to him, patting his back. “Take a shower, get rid of all the blood. And maybe when you’re done, Yixing will have good news for us.” As usual, the redhead kept a positive mindset, even putting a weak smile on his lips. Baekhyun wasn’t in the mood to do anything right now, but having your blood sticking to his skin wasn’t particularly comfortable. It reminded him constantly of his own failure.

He had come to that rooftop to save you, not to see you bleeding out on the ground. Maybe all a criminal like him was good for was killing. Maybe someone like him was unable to protect.

He clenched his hands to fists. Why had you taken the bullet that had been meant for him? Just why would you go that far? It should have been him. If you died tonight, he would forever feel guilty.

With a heavy heart, he got up from the sofa, feeling everyone’s eyes on his back as he trudged towards the bathroom.

* * *

Hours later, he found himself standing at your bedside with Yixing. You were unconscious, connected to a blood transfusion and an IV drip. They had moved you to one of the bedrooms so you could rest properly. The surgery had taken a long time, and to Baekhyun it had seemed like an eternity.

The sun was rising outside and he was spent, exhausted. Yet, he was too scared to go to sleep. What if you ended up dying while he was gone? He couldn’t bear the thought of that happening. You were far from safe, had yet to recover from both the wound and the surgery.

“She is tenacious,” Yixing said. “I’m confident that she will make it. You shouldn’t worry, Baekhyun.”

“Can you blame me? She bled so much,” he breathed, closing his eyes. “I’m surprised we even made it here without her dying.”

“As I said, she is tenacious, and she is going to pull through. The bullet was lodged in her body, but it didn’t damage her organs. I removed it and took care of the injury. If she rests sufficiently from now on and doesn’t strain herself, I don’t see a reason why she wouldn’t make it,” Yixing explained, his calm voice serving to reassure Baekhyun who let out a breath he’d been holding.

“Jiwon deserves nothing but the worst for this. If he was still alive, I would give him hell,” he snarled, glaring at the window.

“What’s done is done,” Yixing replied. “He is dead and that should be enough.”

Baekhyun chewed on his bottom lip, swallowing his anger when he looked back at you. The paleness of your face bothered him as it made you look lifeless. He wanted you to open your eyes and smile at him. If he ever got the chance to speak to you again, he had a million things he needed to tell you.

“What will you do now? Stay here with us?” Yixing asked, leaning his back against the wall. Baekhyun had his own flat, but he occasionally stayed at the mansion that they used as their meeting spot.

“Of course,” Baekhyun said. “My apartment is ruined thanks to Jiwon, and besides, I want to be here when she wakes up.”

“Fair enough. Don’t forget to sleep, though. You look terrible.”

“Thanks, Yixing,” Baekhyun said sarcastically, managing a crooked smile.

* * *

The blackness that surrounded you was eternal. It engulfed you like a blanket and held onto you. The sensation of being trapped in darkness should have scared you, but it didn’t. You felt no pain in this state and there was no reason for you to worry either. Since your memory was fuzzy, it was hard to remember what exactly had led to this.

The loud bang of a gunshot and the excruciating pain in your abdomen were all you could recall, along with Baekhyun’s heart-wrenching pleas for you to stay with him. They still tore you apart. Never in your life had you heard anyone speak with so much desperation in their voice. It broke your heart. He had to have been so scared for your life. Just as scared as you had been to die.

But you weren’t dead yet. There was no doubt in your mind that you were alive.

The more of the fog in your mind faded, the more of your senses you regained. You heard the quiet murmur of a familiar voice not far from you. It was impossible to tell what it was saying, but it was soothing to you. Soon, an uncomfortable throbbing in your entire body followed. It was the strongest in your stomach where the bullet had torn into you. Your lips parted slightly, a groan building in your throat.

You were lying on a soft surface, presumably a bed, and your left hand was warm, held by someone. When your soft moan filled the room, something changed. The hand holding yours shifted and the muffled voice from before was back, but now you were able to discern it.

“Are you awake, love?” a hopeful voice asked. You recognized it, and you knew instantly that it was Baekhyun’s. “Can you open your eyes for me?”

The impatience and tiredness layering his tone spurred you to fight the exhaustion that held you back. You wished to see him and to assure him that you were fine. Mustering all your strength, you forced your heavy eyelids to open. At first, you only managed a short blink, but once the soft light in the room reached your vision, it became easier. You opened your eyes, letting them adjust to the brightness.

You heard a gasp, and not a second later, Baekhyun appeared over you. His blond hair framed his face, uncombed and messy. He had a bruise on his cheek and gazed at you with tired yet relieved eyes. Considering how pale he was, he must have been worried sick about you.

“Hey,” he said quietly. “Are you in pain?”

You weakly shook your head. “N-No,” you answered with difficulty, your throat dry from not speaking for so long.

He didn’t quite believe you, that much you could see when he looked at you skeptically. The worry in his expression was overwhelming. “I will get you something to drink,” he said. “And I need to tell Yixing that you woke up… I’ll be back in a moment.”

He left you for a short period of time, but he was back within only a few minutes, and he brought along a man you had never seen before. He had short black hair and seemed to be more easy-going than Baekhyun who was still tense from head to toe.

“Hello, my name is Yixing,” he introduced himself. “It’s great that you woke up.”

You smiled at him and introduced yourself as well, wondering who exactly he was. Since your puzzlement was written all over your face, Yixing chuckled.

“I’m the one who performed surgery on you to remove the bullet,” he explained. “I’m a trained surgeon, so you don’t need to worry. Everything is fine, none of your organs were damaged. I sealed your wound, but you need to be careful with moving around for a while so it can heal properly.”

“T-Thank you,” you answered, not quite understanding why he would help you; someone he had never met before.

“It’s okay,” Yixing said, throwing Baekhyun a glance. He stood next to him, having his arms crossed and studying you silently. “Baekhyun told us a lot about you, and I have to admit that I was quite curious myself, but I didn’t expect to meet you in such a horrible way. Are you in pain right now?”

“No, I’m just tired and a bit sore,” you replied. “But it’s fine.”

He nodded, satisfied with your answer. “Good. If you need painkillers later on, don’t hesitate to tell me. For now, you should drink a lot and rest. I will ask Kyungsoo to prepare lunch for you so you can regain your strength soon.”

“Again, thank you, Yixing,” you answered gratefully. “I appreciate this.”

“It’s no problem at all,” he smiled. “That’s the least I could do for Baek’s girlfriend.”

His teasing grin made you blush, and you quickly looked away, directing your gaze farther to the right. Only now did you take notice of the lavish room you were in, and your jaw dropped in realization. The furniture was ridiculously expensive, almost entirely white and grey except for a large picture on the opposite wall of the bed. A glass door to your right led to a small balcony. It was framed curtains that reached the floor. The entire room reminded you of an expensive hotel, not unlike Baekhyun’s apartment. But you could tell that this wasn’t his place.

“Where am I?” you asked.

“This house belongs to Exo,” Baekhyun said. His eyes had been glued to you the entire time. “Some members have their own apartments too, but this is where most of us usually stay.”

You were surprised they would bring you here, but you didn’t address it. They probably trusted you with their secrets after you caught a bullet for him.

“You should drink something,” Baekhyun added after a pause. Yixing nodded in agreement, and they both helped you sit up, careful not to strain your injury. You leaned your back against the soft pillows and took the glass Baekhyun handed to you. Getting something to drink after such a long time was heavenly, and even though it was just regular water, you gulped it down greedily.

“I’ll leave you alone now,” Yixing said. “See you later!”

He closed the door behind him, and then you were alone with Baekhyun once more. You looked at him for a moment without speaking while he sat down on the edge of the bed, keeping his eyes fixed on the blanket that covered your stomach. It was apparent that something bothered him. His eyebrows were creased in worry, and the corners of his lips pulled downwards.

“Why would you take a bullet for me? That’s insane,” he finally said. It troubled him a lot, you could see that, but you had your reasons for why you acted the way you did, and you had no regrets.

“Because I love you,” you said honestly, seeing no reason to keep it from him any longer. “And I didn’t want you to die.”

His eyes widened just a fraction, briefly showing his surprise before he hid it behind an unreadable mask. He sighed, his eyes holding a conflicted look. “I would prefer if you didn’t get involved anymore with me,” he mumbled, lowering his head to stare at his hands. “You will be in danger if you are around me. This can’t happen again.”

Your stomach churned since you didn’t like where this was going. “I don’t care, I—”

His head snapped up and he threw you a piercing stare. “But I care!” he interrupted you. “I was stupid when I asked you to be my girlfriend. What the hell was I thinking?” He ran his hands through his blond hair. “You can’t be involved with me. I can’t protect you.”

You remembered well how confident in himself he had been when he had been on that rooftop, about to reunite with you. Right now, however, he was anything but confident. His shoulders sank and he looked defeated. A heavy feeling weighed on your chest, making you frown.

“So will you just ignore me from now on?” you asked. Frustrated tears welled up in your eyes. “You can’t do this to me after everything we’ve been through!”

He breathed a sigh, gaze softening somewhat. “I’m doing it for your sake.”

“How does being alone and unhappy help me?” you retorted. “I’m too far in to back out now. A-And besides, I don’t want you to leave.”

His hands squeezed into fists. Conflict glowed in his eyes, revealing that he himself struggled to find the right solution for this situation. He was torn between two options, couldn’t pick one because each of them might have repercussions he wasn’t ready for. 

If he stayed with you, that would put you in danger. Even though Jiwon and his gang were history, eventually, others would take their place. It had always been like this.

But if he left you, you would be devastated, and he would be too. It would be painful for both of you.

Baekhyun closed his eyes and sighed. “You nearly died, just think about that for a moment,” he said, shooting you a look. You couldn’t decipher the emotions on his face, couldn’t get behind what he was thinking.

“Yes, but so did you,” was your stubborn answer. “Please stay with me.” Your desperation made your voice waver and break.

He unclenched his fist and stretched out his arm to touch your cheek. His slender fingers followed the outline of a cut that marked your skin, gently tracing it from your cheekbone to your hairline. It was healing and likely wouldn’t even leave a scar. Soon, there would be nothing left of it, and yet, he felt sick seeing it.

“Baekhyun,” you said in an attempt to coax an answer out of him. “Isn’t our relationship important to you too? Could you just throw it away?”

Your lower lip trembled suspiciously while a lone tear ran down your cheek. His eyes narrowed, shimmering with pain, but then he reached a decision. “You’re right, I can’t,” he mumbled. “It’s hard to even think about it.”

“You’re not leaving me,” you said, stubbornly gazing at him.

“No, I’m not,” he muttered. “But you have to promise to never do something so risky again!”

The weight that had been laying on your chest disappeared. Relief glimmered in your heart, accompanied by a joyful smile. “I won’t, I promise,” you answered.

“Good,” he answered, mirroring your smile, though his looked a bit more tentative than yours. “And now you will focus on getting better. You can stay here as long as you want. I spoke about it with the others and they don’t mind.”

“I can’t believe how welcoming you all are,” you breathed. “Not exactly how I imagined Exo after hearing all the rumors.”

“You have impressed everyone with your actions. My friends were surprised by your courage. And I was too, even if I wish you hadn’t gone that far.” A hint of disapproval flickered through his eyes.

You reached out your hand to hold his, interlacing your fingers. “I didn’t want you to die,” you said.

“You are something, love,” he said, shaking his head. He fondly squeezed your hand and leaned in, breathing a kiss on your forehead. His eyes shone with adoration, an emotion that warmed your heart as you saw it.

“I love you,” he whispered only moments before he captured your lips with his. He was careful, keeping his touches light and tender, kissing you like you were made of glass that would break under too much pressure. You had missed this feeling, the warm tingles that spread through your body as your lips moved in synch. He made you feel free as a bird that spread its wings to fly. You smiled, your eyes brimming with happiness when you met his affectionate gaze.

“I love you too,” you breathed, your eyes forming crescents when your smile turned into a bright beam. He took your hand again and held on to it while he studied your cheerful expression. A feeling of warmth grew in his chest—a sensation that was soothing after all the stress he went through.

He lifted your hand to his lips and kissed the back of it without breaking eye contact, and you blushed, your chest exploding with fireworks. If your body hadn’t been so tired, you would have jumped in his arms then and there.

Your sweet moment was interrupted suddenly when the door opened and a man with red hair stuck his head into the room. His mischievous eyes lit up seeing you and he grinned.

“So this is the lady that had Baekhyun get up early for weeks,” he commented.

“Shut up, Chanyeol,” Baekhyun grumbled, awkwardly clearing his throat. “Don’t listen to him.” 

You curiously gazed at the red-haired man whose name was apparently Chanyeol. “What do you mean by that?”

Chanyeol smirked slyly, not caring about his friend’s death glare. “Oh, this guy usually sleeps in because he works during the night, but from one day to the next he suddenly started getting up early to _get_ _coffee,”_ he snickered. “We were all stupefied by that, so Jongdae decided to follow him. And guess what he found? Baekhyun having a looong chat with a cute barista.”

A light blush settled on your cheeks. Your gaze drifted from an embarrassed Baekhyun to a slyly grinning Chanyeol. “I didn’t know you liked the coffee that much,” you teased, prompting Chanyeol to wheeze.

“I didn’t just come by because of the coffee!”

“I know, I was just joking,” you smiled.

“The others want to meet you too, by the way,” Chanyeol said. “Their curiosity is driving me nuts.”

“Not now. She only just woke up,” Baekhyun countered. “Tell them to be patient. They probably just want to embarrass me anyway…”

* * *

You spent the following week mostly in bed, resting and recovering. Yixing checked your injury a few times, changing the bandages. He was satisfied with the healing process, and after a week, he allowed you to roam around freely as long as you didn’t strain yourself too much. You missed being able to go outside, but you knew that you needed to take your health seriously. A bullet wound couldn’t be underestimated.

It also kept you away from work—Amber had been worried when she hadn’t heard from you in days. You called her to apologize and made sure to have another co-worker help out until you were better. Since you figured it was best to keep your affiliation with Exo secret, you told her that you had an accident, leaving out the details. Thankfully, she didn’t ask questions.

While you stayed at the house, you slowly got to know the other members of the gang, and each of them was unique in their own way. Baekhyun, Yixing and Chanyeol you were already familiar with, but the remaining six members didn’t take long to introduce themselves to you as well.

There was Kyungsoo, the quiet black-haired man who often looked rather serious, but had a very contagious smile. He was a talented cook, just like Minseok who was equally talented in this area.

Sehun was the youngest, and according to himself, he was the best sniper in Exo, often supporting the others from afar when the need arose. He was closest with Jongin, an athletic man in his twenties who at first had been a bit shy around you.

Jongdae had accompanied Minseok and Baekhyun in the night they had rescued you, so you were already familiar with him as well. You soon learned that he loved making jokes and teasing everyone else. Lastly, you met Junmyeon who was their leader and probably the calmest of them all, but you didn’t doubt he could keep the other members in check when they got a bit too rambunctious. He usually scolded them when they left their weapons laying around while you were staying with them.

Needless to say, you got comfortable in the mansion during your stay. Baekhyun kept you company whenever he could, and at night, he sneaked into your room to sleep next to you.

It was no different tonight. After the others had returned to their rooms and the house was shrouded in silence, he had visited you and now you were cooped up in his arms, feeling right at home.

“Love, I want to ask something,” he whispered to you. His silky blond hair looked nearly white in the shining moonlight falling through the window. The slight smirk on his plush lips drew your attention, making you wonder what he was up to.

“What is it?” you whispered back, curiously glancing at him.

“Do you want to move in with me when you’ve recovered?” he asked, surprising you. “I was planning to get a new apartment for myself, and since you are my girlfriend, I thought it would be great if we could live together.”

Stunned, you stared at him, even forgetting your voice for a moment. Your cheeks warmed, red spreading over them. “I would love that,” you answered, beaming with joy.

“Perfect,” he smirked. “Then I can always see you, and we can spend more time together.”

* * *

Two months passed in which your life returned to normal. With your wounds healed, and Baekhyun eager to have you all to himself, he wasted no time in helping you move from your apartment to his. The entire move happened in just two days, and since then, you had been living on cloud nine.

In the mornings, you had breakfast together, then you would head to work and later in the day, he would pick you up. Sometimes you ate dinner at a restaurant. Other times, you cooked together, and you found out the hard way that Baekhyun was actually a lousy cook.

He tried all he could to keep you away from his job, but sometimes you would notice a new bruise on him or even a few blood splatters on his clothes. You knew for a fact that he kept a gun in the drawer of his nightstand. When you asked him about it, he said he’d rather be safe than sorry in case someone managed to break into his new flat. He had many enemies, and he didn’t underestimate them. You trusted his judgment and no longer questioned his decision to keep a gun at home.

Occasionally, you visited the other Exo members who never hesitated to tease you and Baekhyun. They even managed to fluster him sometimes. This always highly amused you.

Today, you and Baekhyun had planned to go on a date after you were done with work. He had told you that he had planned something special, but you had yet to find out what it was. When the end of your shift at the coffee shop rolled around and he picked you up, you were giddy and filled with anticipation. Baekhyun smirked seeing your excited state, and led you to his car that he had parked nearby.

You sat in the passenger seat, your eyes falling on his camera that was laying on the backseat. “You brought your camera,” you gushed, prompting him to laugh.

“The weather is amazing today, so I figured it’s the perfect opportunity to take few pictures,” he said, a cheeky glint in his brown eyes. “I thought we could finally do what we planned over two months ago. Remember?”

You did remember, and you flushed when you thought about it. “You want me to model for you?” you asked sheepishly.

“Yes, exactly,” he replied, winking at you before starting the engine and driving off. He followed a street that led away from the busy city and towards the forest surrounding it. You weren’t quite sure what to expect from your date, but you looked forward to it regardless. You knew him well enough to be able to tell that he had an ace up his sleeve. Something was up—you just needed to find out what.

He was in an extremely good mood, continuously, throwing you glances even while he was driving. You had to remind him several times to pay attention to the traffic instead, to which he simply said, “Sorry, but you’re so gorgeous I can’t help myself.”

“Flirt,” you answered, getting all flustered from his charming comment. He easily made you blush which he found cute.

“You love it,” he countered smugly while he took a turn into a wooded area. He stopped the car at the next parking lot you came across and you got out.

He held his camera in one hand and wrapped his other arm around your back to guide you along the path. It led you into the serene forest, and you soon found yourself enjoying the quiet that surrounded you. Golden sunlight filtered through the treetops and painted patterns of light on the ground. The scene looked magical, capturing all your attention. It was the first time he had brought you to this place, but since he seemed to be familiar with it, he had to have come here many times before.

You understood why he adored it so much as it was a welcome change to the hustle of the city. In the midst of the trees, you didn’t hear the sounds of cars or the chattering of people. Solely the songs of the birds hiding nearby accompanied you, their cheerful singing bringing a delighted smile to your lips.

You walked on for a little while until the forest opened up and you reached a meadow. It was covered in lush green grass and wildflowers.

“Baekhyun, this is incredible!” you said breathlessly, your eyes wide and filled with wonder. “I didn’t know there was such a beautiful place so close to our home.”

“I was hoping you would like it,” he replied contently. Again, you noted how happy he looked today. The sunny smile on his lips was a sight you loved wholeheartedly. His brown eyes were shining, radiating warmth.

“Do you want to take photos here?” you asked.

His secretive smirk sparked your curiosity. “Yes, but we can still do that later. First, I want to show you something else. This place is only half of the surprise,” he said.

“Oh, there is another surprise?”

Your giddy voice prompted him to laugh and he nodded. He reached into his pocket and handed you a mysterious velvet box. “Open it, love,” he urged you, studying your reaction. His eyes were filled with anticipation that was just as strong as your curiosity.

Your shaky fingers lifted the lid of the box, uncovering what was hidden inside. A slim silver ring glinted in the sunlight; an L engraved in it. Your lips parted. It was incredibly beautiful and not what you had expected, but that made it an even better surprise. Smiling widely, you looked at Baekhyun.

“B-Baekhyun, are you serious?” you stuttered, overflowing with happiness.

Encouraged by your reaction, he smirked confidently. “Do you want to marry me?” he asked.

“Yes, yes I do!” you gushed and threw your arms around him, hugging him so quickly he nearly lost his balance. He chuckled, wrapping his arms around your back. Tears of joy swam in your eyes when you met his gaze.

“I love you,” you whispered.

His eyes lit up, a pretty shade of brown that looked like amber in the sunlight. He kissed you, pulling you in. “And I love you,” he murmured in your ear, the velvety sound of his voice causing you to shiver in bliss. He took your hand and slipped the ring on your finger.

That was the beginning of your happy ending.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! 
> 
> My original plan was to make this story very dark, but it just ended up fluffy and cute, I guess. 😂 I can't help it, when Baekhyun is involved I automatically write fluff. 😆 So I decided to write a happy ending here since the story of the VCR was so sad. 🤧😥 Poor bby always gets the tragic endings...
> 
> I hope you liked this story! Leave some feedback please. ❤️  
> Jessie


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